Only after parking did a Texas driver realize a snake had hitched a ride on a 20-minute trip.
The rattled Reddit user shared a photo to r/WhatsThisSnake to find out more.
Here's what to know
"This just crawled out of my car … after driving to town," the driver wrote about their surprise encounter.
In a reply, the original poster said, "It was somewhere in the engine bay. … Poor thing."
Reddit users agreed the animal was a harmless ratsnake.
One suggested it was either a Great Plains ratsnake or a western ratsnake, but another said the follow-up video pointed to an Emory's ratsnake.
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Some commenters emphasized that the ID was not definitive.
"We really need a good view of the back and/or head to distinguish them," a Redditor explained.
More background
Another commenter said, "Poor little one was just keeping your engine bay free of rodents and maybe got a bit too warm after the car ran for 20 minutes."
The thread also included notes on ratsnake behavior.
One person observed that these snakes eat a wide range of prey, including rodents and birds, and added that western ratsnakes adapt well to urban areas, which can bring them closer to people than some might expect.
What can be done?
If a snake appears in or around a vehicle, stay calm and do not attempt to handle it.
Even snakes regarded as harmless can still bite when defending themselves.
"I felt really bad because I left it in the parking lot, but I'm not from the area and didn't know if it was venomous. (I was pretty sure it wasn't, but better to be safe than sorry)," the OP stated.
Where can I learn more?
The sighting is one example of how wildlife shows up in and around cars, sometimes during a drive.
• After a Florida road trip, a driver found a tiny snake stowaway hiding under a car seat.
• Another motorist filmed a large snake peeking out from under their car hood while they traveled.
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